Hallelujah

The sun shineth! (We've had several straight days of rain.) M's hood has ears, hence the little "bear ear" in her shadow.

A Hitch in My Giddy-up

I really, really want to be doing a whole bunch of sewing for the coming baby, but my aching legs make the cutting fabric and ironing parts of sewing difficult. Here is my first finished project for baby:
Itty Bitty Baby Dress tutorial from Made by Rae (free!)

So, my varicose veins have really put a hitch in my sewing giddy-up as well as my giddy-up in general. I am hoping to go tomorrow to get some better support hose that the midwife actually wrote a prescription for. Maybe that will help me get going on my ever-growing list of projects for baby.

In other news, things that are making me happy:

1) Only one more week of school for the boys! Hooray! Can't wait to wake up and not have to rush around like a mad woman.

2) A shower for baby! Great friends are hosting a shower for me and baby next month. I have been having so much fun registering for pink clothes. Mel, wouldn't it be cool if you could register at fabric.com??

3) Aunt J and her husband are visiting us today! They are in town for the week from their home in London.

4) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles Recipe from Smashed Peas and Carrots go here! Dangerously yummy!

5) C has agreed to paint baby's room if I take the boys away from the house for a full day :)

Hope to be back with more sewing projects soon! Maybe between the new hose and no school, I'll be giddy-upping:)

Week o'Fun

The boys were out of school this past week, so I decided we should have a fun thing every day (I sort of didn't decide this until Monday, though). However, our fun needed to be indoor fun because the pollen is crazy (check out Tasha's post about it), all of us seem to have allergies, and I don't want to take a bunch of medicine with the little bambino. Now Monday's fun was just a visit from their grandma which isn't that out of the ordinary, but it's all I had to offer. Tuesday, we went to our local county museum which has a water table to teach about water pollution, how rivers were and are used for transport, etc. It was the hit of the museum visit, and the covered wagon toy that you used a barge to float across the river fit perfectly with our start of Little House on the Prairie. They could have played at that water table for hours. We took in a planetarium show while there, too. Wednesday, we went out for ice cream after supper with Daddy. Ice cream = fun. I had low fat but should have gone ahead and gotten a mix-in of Butterfinger (it would just have been a wee bit). Thursday was another museum trip recommended by Mel. This one had some bears to see (which H is really into right now), but the biggest attractions turned out to be a puppet theater where H could put on his own puppet show with two bear, an eagle and an otter puppets and for W, the fish tanks. Maybe a trip to a big aquarium will be on our vacation to-do one day. We ended the week with meeting Daddy for lunch on Friday.

It really was a fun week, and I am proud of myself for taking the little guys out on my own some. I even did my exercise DVD four out of the five weekdays (go me! and yes, I am getting a little worried about my weight gain). I really enjoyed not having to spend four mornings rushing around trying to get everyone ready for school, nagging everyone to get moving, feeling my blood pressure rise because we are late again. It's strange, but I almost think I might have gotten more done than during a school week. Maybe it was just more done around the house. Still, it reminds me of how I actually find school days harder than just keeping the children at home. I have been wondering whether I really want to send #3 to preschool at age 2. I know lots of children really enjoy and get a lot out of it, but it costs $$, it stresses me... Just not sure. H is to start kindergarten this fall (a very short time after my due date!), but I have thought some about homeschooling. I'm just not sure I could do it. Or maybe that we could do it. H is not the easiest child to direct, and I am not pro-active about anything social (you know, making sure he had interaction with others his age, sports, etc.) I read a great post about one woman's decision to homeschool that has me thinking. For now, though, I think we will plan to give kindergarten a try.

Aack! December

As much as I've been looking forward to Christmas (I love putting up the tree and all the decorations, love Christmas music and the Christmas tv specials -ha, calling them specials ages me doesn't it?), I can't seem to absorb that it's really almost here. I must put in my Amazon order soon. I don't want to be crossing my fingers that it makes it here on time. I do have some things I'd been getting for the boys, but what about the adults on my list!?! Oh, and let's not forget those Christmas pajamas I so rashly mentioned on this site. How will I ever get all this done?

I think this week has been particularly stressful as C's truck is "on the blink" (as my daddy said), and we've had to share my car. Sharing my car consists of frantically getting everyone ready to go in order to leave in time to get Daddy (C) to work ON time. Then after all that hurry up and go. We have an hour before preschool starts. Tuesday, the boys and I decided to live it up and have a "second breakfast" of Chick-fil-a chicken minis and OJ. Now, we could get used to that:)

Is it just my imagination...

or could I really spend all day, several days washing, drying, folding and putting away laundry? I think I need to do just that to eliminate some piles that are forming!

It's a Beautiful Morning

Actually, it's rainy, but I sometimes really enjoy a dark, rainy morning. It makes staying inside and sewing completely guilt-free. After dropping H off at school this morning, W and I came home to enjoy a snack that included hot chocolate for me, yum. Then I checked out a few of my favorite blogs and discovered that I have won something from A Lil Welsh Rarebit, woohoo! Sorry to have been missing around here for a bit. I've been sewing a pretty goodly amount (for me). Pictures to come of my projects soon. I was hoping to take some today, but the weather may push it back a day or two. I am also trying to adjust to our new schedule now that preschool is back in session. W is going a couple of mornings, so I have some time all to myself. But instead of feeling like I have more time, I try to squeeze all of my errands, grocery shopping and the like into that time which makes me feel busier. (If that makes sense at all). H is really learning a lot already. A few weekends ago he wrote the numbers 1 through 12 out on the dry erase easel, um, wow! Then, we talked about The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. C and I are so excited to see and hear all that he is learning. W loves music time at school. He's a little dancer (he gets it honest, I boogie around the house often). And, W is now sleeping in his big boy bed! No more crib. Oh, and I've been reading too. Maybe I can do a book review of one that I absolutely loved. All of my reading has been for book clubs, promise.

This past weekend Mel and family came for a visit. I was so excited to see them. I got to hold that little sweet girl of hers, and she is a darling, let me tell you. The boys entertained us all what with all the running through the living room and loud voices. Of course, I also got to show Mel some of my latest sewing projects and fabric purchases. We also continued work on the boys' swing set this weekend. My mom came over to help watch the boys, so I could help C with the swing set. We made some good progress, and H really stayed out with us most of the time. He is really, really into space shuttles right now. He watches clips on you tube as long as we let him. So, he sat in the "fort" part of the tree house and pretended it was a space shuttle while I did the countdown and acted as Mission Control. It was so fun for me too! I love to see his imagination in action! I always hoped I would be able to play with my children and enjoy it, but I sometimes feel so busy. It was great to play. I sometimes forget how fun it is to pretend. Let's hope I always remember!

Cool Down

"The berries are red, so fall is on its way," says H. The mornings have been cool and even the days have been pleasant. Last weekend we set up a twin size bed in W's room, which meant figuring out where to put a full size headboard and footboard (I refuse to give them away). Luckily, we were able to fit it in W's closet along with a few other things that had been hiding underneath the full bed (i.e., my guitar--no, I can't play now but one of these days, one. of. these. days.). Needless to say, it was an all day affair. Then, Tuesday, I tried to organize (okay, fold fairly neatly and put in a storage container) all the clothes W has outgrown. My mom was over, so I had some help watching the boys and organizing. Speaking of my mom, while re-organizing (again, using that word loosely) W's closet, I saw Mom's wedding gown (the one she wore when she married my dad). I may have to do a whole separate post on that. How it once was lost but finally found, how every time I see it, I am amazed (my great-grandmother made it).

With the weather cooling, I find myself yearning to knit even more. I have a few baby hats that I need to make for little ones who will be making their appearances this winter. I also feel that it would be nice if I knitted up some hats for my own little guys. As much as I look forward to Halloween and Christmas and the fun they bring, I feel like summer flew by before I had a chance to enjoy it as much as I'd like. Also, the kimono I still need to sew for my friend's little girl (she's over a month old now, I am feeling bad), I picked vibrant summer colors (sky blue and a bright pink). I must get it made and delivered before September 22, or it is going to be completely out of season. Maybe this weekend, right? C will be home an extra day. I think I need to force myself to stay up late sewing. Sometimes, it's the only way to fly :)

Happy Labor Day Weekend! Enjoy!

Out with the Old

New blog layout to pep me up for the Fourth of July. Although, I'm probably more pepped about Hancock Fabric's 5 Simplicity patterns for $5 sale coming up later this week! Book club was Friday. The peach cobbler didn't even make it through the night after C had a bowl. Target's white sangria in a box, don't laugh at the box, is yummy. We emptied the box and another bottle of wine. Sounds like a good book club to me! However, Thursday (the day before book club) was a cluster. I realized I didn't tell my mom I was doubling a recipe. So, she cut some celery for me and then shared the rest with her husband while I was at the grocery. So, another trip to the grocery. I knocked over a box of dry macaroni, all over the floor. I broke one of my great-grandmother's dessert bowls (I've ordered a replacement, fingers crossed it will really match). Friday wasn't a whole lot better. I chipped paint off our bookshelf and put a dent in our table with the can of furniture polish. I was literally afraid to wash my serving dishes for fear of destroying them. Just call me Danger-prone Daphne. Maybe it's because I was all stressed about getting everything done?

So,I am sort of glad to see June go. It's been such a busy month for me. It's flown by, but I haven't had much of a chance to enjoy the summer, to do some fun stuff with the boys. It seems every week has been preparation for the weekend. And C's summer classes? They are taking a toll on all of us. Our yard needs mowing, we are trying to get everything cleaned for the window installation folks (yes, new windows, finally!), our garage and closet need to be cleaned out, and the list goes on. So, as I wave farewell to June, I am trying to just slow down and welcome a slower-paced July.

Funny things heard around here:
H: What are those bugs, Mom?
Me: Lightening bugs.
H: They are flashing their tail lights at us.

Me: What are we going to do with that little brother?
H: Throw him away?

Cars Play

I don't know if I've mentioned that I decided to let the boys watch the movie Cars, but I did. They love it, and I do believe they would watch it all day long. W starts in the morning, "Watch Car movie 'night, peeeze?" However, it seems that we actually re-enact the movie, as Lightening McQueen (the Hot Wheels-size version) goes missing for a few days each week. Don't even get me started on how long the blue car has been missing. W insists on calling Mater Hopper. We can only surmise that he is trying to say 'copter (short for helicopter, which Mater rides in at the movie's end). C laughs at how we (meaning the adults) get sucked into this movie. I think if one day I can actually watch the whole thing without getting up to wash dishes, get snacks, put up laundry, etc., I might be able to resist the pull. For now, though, it does often pull me in for brief periods. I love the "oldies" songs, so fun..."life would be a dream, sweetheart." Some of the language (and overtones) are really not very G-rated, but at least for now, all of that seems to go over the boys' heads. Must go rest now, tomorrow is the last day of preschool picnic.

What's on Your Mantel

I'm still here, just staying busy. I'm helping host two baby showers in June (not at my home, thankfully), and book club is at my house in June!! So, I'm stressing about cleaning and trying to get the house looking better, putting up some new pictures of the children. Said children have been sick which just makes it crazier. I've also been making some internet purchases, fun stuff! Gaucho pants that I love even if they do look like pajamas, a white noise machine (I've got to get my almost two year-old to nap in his crib), and a double stroller! I know, H is four, but he still wants to ride, especially if his little brother is riding. I am hoping this will allow me to do some much needed walking (for exercise). We got a decent price at Wal-Mart with site to store shipping which means no shipping and handling fees!

So with all these babies on the way, I am also knitting more hats and aspiring to knit a tiny jacket. I am also hoping to do some sewing for one of the coming babies, but as you all know, I tend to think big and act much smaller, which isn't as effective as think globally, act locally, unfortunately!

Anyhow, now that you know all that stuff you probably didn't want to know. I'll go back to my title. With my turn as hostess of book club, I am trying to make a few changes. We have really high ceilings in our living room which has a fire place, so we have a giant expanse of brick above our mantle. We have thought of hanging a clock up above the mantel (one of those giant ones from Target, maybe). I am also working on the mantel. Right now, it has lots of framed pictures, but I think that is very out-of-date. I have been checking out some magazines to see what folks have on their mantels. I am thinking of framing a picture of each boy in fairly large frames (maybe 8x10 pic in a larger frame with matting) and just sitting them on the mantel and leaning against the bricks. Still trying to figure out what else to put up there. I definitely want to keep it pretty simple, clean, fairly large objects (despite how my house looks, I am not a knick-knack gal). So, please all you wannabe designers, what's on your mantel (or what would you like to have there?)

Head Case

Sorry for my blog neglect. Remember the ceiling fan episode? Well, a week ago, my right ear started feeling strange again (the doctor calls it enhanced hearing), so I've spent the last week going to doctors and worrying myself sick over my ear. The eye-ear-nose-and-throat specialist says to give it some time. I don't know for sure if it's from the ceiling fan or the tremendous amount of pollen in the air around here right now. Anyway, after quizzing the doctors as to whether I might have a blood clot in my head, excess cerebral spinal fluid, a tumor, and being told no to all, I am trying not to worry about it (ha!). Still, my right ear is more sensitive to sound than my left, and it is a strange feeling to say the least. So that's where I've been, and of course, I'm reading a lot to keep my mind off my worry.

Here are some highlights from my week:

Last Saturday, H was a ring-bearer for the third time. He did well, but the wedding was about a 3 hour ride away. That's a long time in a car, really.

H rode a horse at the yearly picnic hosted by the school district and Rotary club (the horse was led around a ring by teenage volunteer). So proud of him! We could see that he was nervous while waiting, but he did it!

I made an effort to get out of the house each morning that H did not have school, even if it was just a car ride to take our electric payment. We visited a local plant/flower store just to look around, stopped by Dunkin Donuts, and went to the fabric store. A strange thing happened at the fabric store. We were waiting to have our fabric cut, and the elderly lady who was having fabric cut asked the employee if she could "leave this for you to read at your convenience." The employee looked kind of mad and replied, "you can leave it on the counter if you'd like." I am guessing it was some sort of religious pamphlet, but I really have no idea what it was.

C and I went to a concert last night. The music was fantastic, but we got a late start and the traffic was horrendous getting there. Still so worth it though, but boy have we been tired today. Afraid we are feeling like old folks.

Tonight, we went to Chik-Fil-A for supper. As we were walking out, I saw a familiar face. It was a girl I knew from college. It was surreal. I saw her and immediately knew her face and name. I hesitated for a split second, but then saw her recognize me. I have often wondered how she was doing. I had not seen or talked to her since 1998. Unbelievable! She was stopping there on her way to a concert.

We went and got a rain check for a swing set that was on sale. Not sure when they'll come in, but we think the boys are going to love it!

So that's about all I can think of right now. I need to wash dishes and get to bed. Tomorrow, we are going double-stroller shopping!

Grrr... Blogger Outage (What a good excuse)

I was hoping to have time to type something meaningful (so not true), but it seems blogger has some sort of outage scheduled (so I just have to make it brief :). I really wish I could write something meaningful, but 1) W has some sort of cold that is making him run a low-grade fever 2) today I ran around doing errands while my mom watched the boys, 3) I took H to soccer this afternoon and 4) I am going to go pick up a pizza for me and H to share. However, Christy posted her top eight books, so I can at least do that (although, really, there are so many narrowing it to eight will be tough).
1) Persuasion by Jane Austen
2) Life of Pi by Yann Martel
3) A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
4) Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
5) Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank
6) The Children of Men by P.D. James
7) Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes
8) I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I tried to mix in some classic favorites with a few modern ones. Better get to ordering that pizza ;)

Say My Name

Sorry to be MIA this week. Just the usual running around with a fever for H thrown in (seems to be completely gone just some lingering sniffles) and soccer clinic (H did so well compared to last year at this time-hooray!) I also attended our monthly MOPS meeting and did a bit of shopping for my cousin's wedding. Also, after hitting a consignment sale and my mom using a department store coupon last week, I had some washing to do for the boys' Spring wardrobe additions.

Anyhow, I am very excited to say that I think this year, H will be the only one "taking" soccer clinic! Meaning, I'll just be watching from the sidelines rather than "taking" it, too, as I did last year. The first thing the coach did was to ask all the children to gather around him while he checked off the names. There were a couple of children with the same names, so some moms or dads had to step up to say, "this is Drew so-and-so or Aiden so-and-so." So, the coach calls "H." H doesn't respond, so I walk over pointing to H. The coach asks, "Is your name H?" H shakes his head no, and I have to say, "Yes, this is H." Of course, everyone laughs, but I wonder why he didn't respond to his name. Turns out, the coach's British accent threw H off a bit (although the coach did pronounce it correctly). I was so proud of H after the class, though, just for doing everything without me and listening well. I gave him a great big hug!

My head seems to be healing up from last week's trauma! Thanks to everyone who was wishing me some better days. I have several posts in draft form that are just waiting for me to stay up late one evening or somehow find some time to do some typing.